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Soy Drink – The Classic Among Milk Alternatives

In China, soy drinks – also known as soy milk – have been a popular drink for several thousand years. In Europe, the vegan milk substitute has now established itself as a classic among milk alternatives.

The advantages first: soy drinks are vegan, lactose-free, milk protein-free and gluten-free – so they are also suitable for people who are allergic to cow’s milk. And yet the soy drink is not without controversy: there are also allergies to soy. In addition, it is repeatedly claimed that the plant-based milk substitute contains genetically modified soybeans, that the soy is imported from South America and that soy drinks are generally not suitable for children. Not all of that is true. Here we have compiled the most important facts about the soy drink.

What is meant by soy drinks?

The so-called soy milk may not officially be called milk in the EU because it is not milked but made from soybeans. In retail, the drink can therefore be found on the shelves under the name “soy drink”. The same applies to other milk alternatives, by the way.

Soy drinks are based on soybeans and water. As a rule, the drink is made from the press cake that remains when soybean oil is pressed from soybeans. This press cake is soaked in water, finely mashed and then filtered so that solids and liquids are separated.

The pure “soy milk” is then further processed – into tofu, other meat alternatives or drinks. In order to make them durable, the milk alternative is heated to an ultra high temperature.

The finished soy drink usually contains between 8 and 10 percent soy. The slightly yellowish liquid is reminiscent of cow’s milk in consistency, but tastes more like beans or slightly nutty.

Minerals, especially calcium, vitamins such as vitamin B12, and often sugar or flavorings are added to many soy drinks.

What’s in the soy drink? The nutritional values

Soy drink contains around two percent less fat than whole milk (3.5 percent) and slightly more than low-fat milk (1.5 percent).

At three to four percent, the protein content is about as high as that of cow’s milk, but the proteins from the milk substitute are considered to be somewhat easier for the human body to utilize.

In addition, the soy drink also contains saponins and flavonoids, secondary plant substances that are said to have a positive effect. The calcium and vitamin B2 content is rather low, which is why it is often artificially added.

Compared to cow’s milk, soy milk substitutes lack cholesterol, vitamin B12 and vitamin C.

Is soy drink healthy as a milk substitute?

Are soy drinks healthy? Yes and no.

The milk substitute has positive health aspects: It is suitable for people with lactose or milk protein intolerance. Gluten allergy sufferers also have no problems with the drink.

As a high-quality supplier of unsaturated fatty acids and as a source of protein, soya drink helps to ensure the supply of these nutrients in a vegan lifestyle.

The lack of cholesterol also has a positive effect on people with problems in this area. All points that speak in favor of using the milk alternative in coffee or muesli.

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Technology

Creating Compost – the Most Important Questions

Old plant residues transform themselves into fresh fertilizer and soil conditioner – this is what happens in the marvelous compost heap. We would like to explain why everyone with a garden should have a compost.

How do I create a compost?

In six steps to the perfect compost

1. Choose a place that is as sheltered as possible
Because a compost heap should neither be dried out by strong sunlight nor overly soaked by heavy rain, a place under a tree is a good idea, which can be a little apart, as a compost heap is usually not one of the visual highlights in the garden.

2. Decide on a shape
It doesn’t matter whether you use an open pile, for which you need a lot of “raw materials”, or whether you use a form or a frame made of wood or metal, since good results can be expected in all variants. Thermocomposters have the advantage that the heat is retained well inside, which speeds up the rotting process.

3. Do not create a base plate
However, it is important that the compost lies directly on the ground and not on stone slabs, for example, since useful rotting helpers such as earthworms can migrate on their own. In addition, excess moisture can drain off better.

4. Layer loosely
The material should be loosely stacked so that there is sufficient oxygen. So don’t compress your compost. Also, do not put too thick layers of one material on the heap, as this can result in disadvantages depending on the material. A layer of autumn leaves that is too thick can be too dry and lacking in nutrients, while a layer of grass clippings that is too thick tends to rot. So mix up the materials.

5. Switch every 3 months
To ensure good rotting, you can move your compost after about 3 months: shovel your pile to a spot next to it. This mixes and aerates all the layers again, so that the pile can mature well. In the case of prefabricated compost bins, 2 or 3 components are therefore often offered together for implementation.

6. Cover or water as needed
The compost should be moist but not wet at all times. You can therefore cover it with mulch fleece, for example, so that both dehydration and excessive moisture after rainfall are avoided. In very dry phases, it makes sense to water your compost.

What goes in the compost?

Too good for the bin

If plant residues or certain kitchen waste are disposed of with the residual waste, valuable substances from the natural cycle are lost. To prevent this from happening, you can either dispose of them in the organic bin – the contents of which are composted professionally and on a large scale – or even better on your own compost. But what exactly can go on the compost?

Valuable raw materials for a compost are:

Plant residues from the garden, including flowers and ornamental plants
lawn clippings
leaves
leftover fruit and vegetables
coffee grounds
Crushed egg shells
Teabag
In small quantities cardboard, kitchen paper and newspaper

Not to be composted or only to a limited extent are:

Plants with soil-borne diseases such as clubroot or sclerotinia or with late blight should be discarded with household waste because the diseases survive composting and are then spread throughout the garden, while composting of plants affected by powdery mildew is unproblematic.
Weeds should not have flowered yet because the seeds can survive composting. Some garden operations therefore have their own weed compost heaps, which remain in place much longer so that the seeds are also decomposed. Root weeds such as goutweed or couch grass should be allowed to dry out well before being put on the compost.
Wood in a compact form, i.e. a thick branch, is problematic on the compost heap because it rots very slowly and blocks the energy of many microorganisms. However, if a compost pile is too damp, a layer of shrub cuttings or chopped branches can provide better aeration.
Citrus fruit peels also rot very slowly and are therefore unsuitable for compost.
Cooked or animal leftovers, baked goods, fat and oil are also not intended for the compost heap as they attract rats.
Ash is not suitable either, as it is often contaminated with heavy metals.

Why compost?

Bacteria, protozoa, fungi and other microorganisms, but also worms, isopods and springtails are responsible for a fascinating process that turns kitchen waste, plant remains, grass clippings, leaves and other things into a particularly valuable and nutrient-rich substrate – the compost. Compost enhances any soil: it enriches sandy soil with structure and nutrients, loamy and clayey soil becomes looser and easier to work with by continuously adding compost. In addition, the humus content in the soil is increased, soil life is stimulated and, depending on the degree of maturity of the compost, the soil is also fertilized. So no garden should have to do without compost.

What happens in the compost heap?

Rotting in the compost begins when the microorganisms first break down proteins and sugars. Organisms such as bacteria and fungi multiply rapidly, and the temperature in the compost also rises. After about 2 weeks, the temperature in the compost heap can rise to 60 degrees, so that heat-loving fungi take over further implementation. However, this so-called hot rotting is not achieved in most compost heaps in the hobby sector because the heaps are too small for this and material is usually thrown onto the compost heap one after the other. After about 3 months, the temperature drops back to about 40 degrees and the so-called main rotting begins. The compost heap can now be moved. Substances that are difficult to decompose are then mineralized during post-rotting.

You can get these types of compost

Compost is not just compost

Depending on when you remove the compost, you will get different degrees of maturity of the compost, which accordingly have different properties.

Fresh compost

But fresh compost, which you can remove after about 3 months and in which some of the raw materials can still be identified, can also play an important role in the vegetable garden. Since this contains significantly more nutrients than the mature version, you can use this as a mulch for your heavy feeders or berry bushes, as you have an excellent fertilizer with it.

Mature compost

At the end of the rotting process you get classic mature compost. Depending on the starting materials, this can be the case after 6-12 months. It is dark, finely crumbly and smells pleasantly of forest soil. You can now apply about 3 liters of this to one square meter of vegetable patch. To do this, rake it in evenly and superficially. Since immature compost can be harmful to seedlings, you can simply sow some watercress on a 1:1 mix of garden soil and your compost. If it germinates and grows without any problems, the compost is ripe.

Compost soil

If you wait longer, the mature compost will become compost soil. The organic content of the compost breaks down again over time, so that there is hardly any fertilizing effect. However, compost is still excellent as a soil improver.

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Cooking Tips

Edible Plant Parts – No Case for the Bin!

Admittedly, we were really wide-eyed when Wanda completely cleaned a kiwi with skin and hair during the breakfast break for the first time. Isn’t that poisonous…? we asked. nope was the answer.

You really can’t explain why some parts of the plant make it onto the plate as a matter of course and why others are categorically spurned. It is worth it to us to take a closer look at the topic with an open mind.

When supposed waste becomes a kitchen star

After the preparation of fruit and vegetables, the compost heap is sometimes larger than the meal itself. Valuable and tasty plant parts are often thrown away in the process. affluent society. ignorance. Habit. Wanda slyly felt about it and so she groped her way curiously and made a little space on her plate for seeds, peel and leafy greens. Result: A lot of the avoided accessories of our plant-based food are not only edible, but also tasty, healthy and included free with the vegetables! Time to finally get the plant parts out of their “garbage image”…

Of hard shells and soft cores

Seeds, skins and leaves usually have one thing in common: a densely packed supply of nutrients. In addition, a high fiber content, which comes from a significantly lower water content in these parts of the plant. Your digestion will be happy!

Three parts of plants that are often avoided and their properties at a glance:

The peel – guardian of vitamins?

A widespread thesis is that there are many vitamins under the outer cell layer, the shell. Is that even true? Most of the time yes. In the case of potatoes, however, the vitamin content tends to decrease towards the skin. But that’s usually true. This is also the case with apples, whose vitamin content in the skin is about seven times higher, according to Prof. Bognar (Federal Research Institute for Nutrition). The peel is also often many times richer in proteins and minerals. No wonder that it is often automatically eaten with many types of vegetables and fruit. In the case of a raw tomato, this is for practical reasons alone, as it is only held together by its skin.

Shell Facts:

Antioxidant plant compounds serve to protect the fruit from sun exposure and oxygen
In the shell are polyphenols and vitamin C
These act not only in the plant, but also in the human body as antioxidants and protect against aging processes and cell damage
Apple peel is particularly popular against constipation due to its high pectin content
Vitamin C in citrus peels has a dehydrating effect

The core – power center for new life

The core, botanically more correctly referred to as seed, fruit, drupe, is the basis for the propagation of vegetable and fruit plants.

Seed Facts:

The seed naturally contains nutrients that are intended to promote the growth and further development of the seedling
In the case of stone fruit, the edible seed is in the hard stone fruit, which must first be dried and then cracked (almonds, apricots). The same principle applies to popular seeds such as pumpkin or sunflower seeds
While stone fruit has to make do with just one seed, tomatoes, cucumbers and pumpkins, for example, contain several dozen seeds that are edible without any problems
The components of seeds are scientifically evaluated in a differentiated manner for human consumption, which is why you should inform yourself and weigh up before eating (see information on avocado seeds below).
Kernels that are not used in the food industry are being used more and more to generate energy by being burned, such as corn cobs or olive kernels.

The leafy green – Important for the red blood

Chlorophyll – a boring term for plant pigments, which used to be discussed in biology classes and which for a long time only really interested hobby aquarists. But ever since the green smoothie era began, chlorophyll has been on everyone’s lips as the green happiness of health. And not without reason – there is a lot of power in the green foliage of the plants…

Leaf Green Facts:

Chlorophyll is essential for photosynthesis in plants
Chlorophyll is similar to the human blood pigment hemoglobin
It promotes the absorption of iron and magnesium
It is blood-forming, blood-purifying and cell-strengthening and therefore also good for brain function
Tip: If you harvest leafy greens while the plant is growing, keep in mind that the fruit will then be smaller

You have to try these unusual plant parts!

Fruits

fruit Edible plant part possibility of use
pineapple Peel It is very firm at first and needs to be soaked after washing. Then you can simmer them for the infusion. This can help you lose weight, have a detoxifying effect and be good for kidney stones or high blood pressure.
banana Peel The yellowish peel is edible and is said to have antibiotic and anti-fungal properties. In South America, the peel is cooked or eaten raw. Try some pureed zest in a smoothie!
strawberries Green hood The small green caps of the strawberry can be eaten without any problems. They contain an extra shot of antioxidants and flavonoids.
kiwi Peel Have you ever bitten into a kiwi like an apple? This is common in New Zealand. For this you simply have to cut the hair of the kiwi z. B. Rub off with a vegetable brush. Alternatively, you can also buy a Golden Kiwi directly.
mango Peel Skin and fruit are edible. The peel contains many antioxidants and has an anti-inflammatory effect. The greenish mango peel is not poisonous, at most it has an unusual taste. The peel can be eaten raw or processed into a smoothie or lassi. You can also cut them into small pieces and enjoy them as a candied snack. Approach cautiously at first!
watermelon Peel If you peel the green skin, you can grated the melon peel as a salad, or use it pureed in a soup or smoothie.
citrus fruits Peel The grated peels of lemons, oranges or limes are very popular for baking. You can also let them dry and enjoy them as a sparkling tea.

Vegetables

 

vegetables Edible plant part possibility of use
fennel fennel green It is suitable as a spicy herb for pasta and soups. The feathered part of the green is eaten. Blanched in hot water for 2 minutes, it can spice up any dish as a decorative, tasty herb.
Herbs like parsley, dill and basil stems Not only the fine leaves of many herbs, but also the slightly stronger stalks are good in smoothies, salads and soups and give them a special flavor. So, don’t be too strict when sorting!
Kohlrabi leaves The leaves of kohlrabi can also be processed into vegetable chips, pesto, soup or in a salad.
pumpkin peel, seeds and flowers And that doesn’t just apply to Hokkaido. You can eat the peel, seeds and flowers of almost all edible pumpkin varieties. If the shell is too hard, you can boil it in a broth. You can easily bake the kernels in the oven.
Corn leaf hair In Chinese folk medicine, health-promoting properties are ascribed to the golden hair of corn. It is eaten as a tea or as a raw snack and has a sweetish milky taste.
carrots leaf green Have you ever tried carrot green pesto? Then it’s high time! Simply mix together with sundried tomatoes, garlic, maple syrup, oil and salt
leek leaves You always cut off the firmer, green leaves and only eat the white part? Just put the green parts in the pan a little earlier, then they will be just as tasty as the white ones.
radish leaf green From the green leaves of radishes you can z. B. make a wonderful pesto or a delicious soup – try our recipe!
Beetroot leaf green The green and red patterned leaves of the beetroot can be prepared like chard in a smoothie, in a salad or steamed and have a similar taste.
celery leaf green The leaves of the celery are great to use in a smoothie or puree in a soup.
asparagus (white) Peel The woody shells of white asparagus are usually cut off, as they greatly limit the tender pleasure of eating asparagus. However, you can still cook them in a vegetable broth with butter and cream. The nutrients and flavors are transferred to the water and a strengthening soup is created. The shells are skimmed off after cooking.
zucchini peel, seeds and flowers Baked zucchini blossoms as a garnish for salads or soups look great and are even loved in gourmet kitchens. Plus, this is a delicious way to curb the zucchini glut.
onion/ garlic Peel Onion skins are particularly rich in quercetin. The taste, however, takes some getting used to and is not really digestible. We recommend boiling the bowls with (leftover) vegetables as a warming broth and skimming them off before consumption.
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Grapefruit is Healthy – But You Should Keep That in Mind

Grapefruit is considered healthy because it contains many vitamins, phytochemicals and fiber. However, grapefruit can also be dangerous – especially in combination with certain medications.

Like all citrus fruits, grapefruits are very healthy because of their high vitamin C content. The grapefruit has a lot to offer and also provides many other important nutrients. That is why the fruit is also considered the queen of citrus fruits. However, fresh grapefruit and grapefruit juice can also become a serious health hazard. We explain what makes grapefruit so healthy and what you should definitely pay attention to when eating.

Grapefruit is healthy – thanks to these ingredients

Grapefruit has a particularly high content of vitamin C. The so-called ascorbic acid is important for the immune system and the development of connective tissue, among other things.

In addition, grapefruit also provides folic acid (vitamin B9), the vitamin A precursor beta-carotene and some other B vitamins in smaller quantities. The citrus fruit also contains the minerals potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron and phosphate. The watery fruit has almost no calories and fat – but a lot of fiber pectin.

The many secondary plant substances also make grapefruit so healthy: carotenoids have an antioxidant, immune-boosting and anti-inflammatory effect. They should also be able to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, age-related eye diseases and possibly even cancer.

Not healthy: Grapefruit interacting with drugs

Grapefruit and grapefruit juice affect the effects of 85 drugs.
Serious side effects can occur with about half of the drugs. Stomach bleeding, kidney or heart damage and even deaths have been observed.
Mode of action: Grapefruits inhibit the body’s own enzyme CYP3A4. This occurs mainly in the liver and the intestinal wall and is responsible for the breakdown of many drugs. By inhibiting the enzyme, the drugs are broken down less quickly. Many medications have a stronger effect, some weaker.
The drugs affected include antihypertensive drugs, heart pills, sleeping pills and sexual enhancers.
Even a single grapefruit or a glass of grapefruit juice can cause significant interactions. Even 24 hours apart, grapefruits can affect the effectiveness of medications.
For example, grapefruits can lead to pain and muscle weakness in combination with cholesterol-lowering drugs, heart pills to palpitations, dizziness and shortness of breath, or water-repellents to high water loss and dehydration, according to the BR.

In addition, grapefruit can also interact with birth control pills. Accordingly, the pill does not lose its effectiveness, but can lead to side effects such as breast tenderness and an increased risk of thrombosis.

Eat grapefruits healthily: Recommended intake

Based on the results, the scientists from the study mentioned advise against consuming grapefruit and grapefruit juice at all if you are taking medication.

The researchers also point out that there is still a need for research on drug interactions. It is quite possible that other drug interactions will become known in the future. Therefore, as a precaution, if you are taking prescription medication, you should minimize the consumption of grapefruit or consult your doctor.

Incidentally, the “dangerous” plant substance naringin is also found in grapefruit and in the bitter or Seville oranges, which are often used for jam. The same consumption recommendations apply to these types of fruit. According to the BR, oranges and orange juice are harmless, as is apple juice.

If you are not taking any medication, you do not need to worry about unwanted side effects: Then you can enjoy the healthy grapefruit and self-squeezed grapefruit juice and benefit from the good ingredients.

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Technology

Egg Shells and Coffee Grounds as Fertilizer – Household Fertilizer

Make household waste usable for the garden

A lot of food leftovers end up in the bio bin or on the compost. Some also contain valuable nutrients that can be ideally used as fodder for vegetable plants. In addition to water and light, nutrients are an important growth factor. Especially the heavy-consuming vegetables such as pumpkin, cucumber and courgettes are happy about additional feed in the form of fertilizer during the gardening season.

Fertilizer from your own kitchen is a simple, quick and particularly environmentally friendly way to support vegetable plants.

You should pay attention to the needs of your vegetable plant. Coffee grounds and egg shells complement each other very well and provide the nutrients for different plants.

Coffee as a fertilizer – miracle product for your vegetable garden

Repels pests and provides nutrients

Coffee is drunk a lot and with pleasure, and there is always coffee grounds, which you can collect and use as fertilizer. Coffee grounds fertilizer is high in potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen, which are substances your plants need for healthy growth.

Simply sprinkle the cooled coffee grounds next to your rows of vegetables, then work them into the soil so they can work their magic close to the roots.

Tip: Don’t you drink coffee yourself or don’t want to collect coffee grounds for several days? Ask at a coffee shop near you! Large quantities accumulate there every day and they will certainly fill something into a can you have brought with you.

Coffee grounds repel ants and snails

Ants and snails do not like the smell of coffee and avoid places where coffee grounds have been placed. Especially with snails it is very effective, at least until the next rain. Therefore, we recommend that you spread out coffee grounds rather than setting up a beer trap.

Fertilize with egg shells

Neutralize acidic soil again

Egg shells are the top lime supplier for the garden. A calcareous fertilizer allows your vegetable plant to easily absorb all other minerals from the soil. Your beetroot, carrots, beans and peas as well as numerous herbs will be happy about an additional addition of lime.

You should pulverize the shells so that the lime from the eggshells is quickly accessible to the plants. This can be done in a mortar, blender or with a blender. Leave the eggshell powder in the water for a few hours and use it to water your lime-loving plants.

Tip: Egg shells are also often used against snails in the garden. They don’t like the sharp edges of crumbled shells and avoid them. However, coarse egg shells cannot serve as a source of lime for the plant, since the shell takes too long to decompose to be used as fertilizer this season.

At a glance – fertilizing with eggshells

Nutrients contained: lime, access to other minerals
Ideal for: beans, peas, chard, carrots, beetroot, black salsify, onions, chives and many other herbs
Not suitable for: cucumber, tomato, spinach, pumpkin (These plants react sensitively to the direct addition of lime. These beds can be enriched with lime in the autumn.)
Amount: apply approx. 100 g to 1 m², twice a year

Make nettle manure yourself

Prepare nettle manure

Fill a barrel or barrel about two-thirds full with the coarsely chopped nettle plants and pour in rainwater to about a hand’s width below the rim. Cover the jar with wire mesh to prevent birds from falling in, or place a large branch or board in the bin to help birds find their way out. The addition of a handful of rock flour can bind the odor development somewhat. Stir the manure every 2-3 days. If the liquid has turned dark after about two weeks and no longer foams when stirred, your manure is ready.

After just a few days, the fermentation process begins, which, however, is accompanied by a significant odor development. If you have the opportunity, you should set the vessel a little apart.

Spread liquid manure

Dilute the manure with water in a ratio of 1:10. It is best to use the watering can without a watering attachment so that you can apply the liquid manure to the spot where the plant comes out of the ground. Plant manure should not be applied in sunshine, as it can otherwise burn the plants. Due to their high silica content, manure made from stinging nettle or horsetail is also suitable as a remedy against aphids if you spray your plants with it as a preventive measure or after the infestation has started in the appropriate places. But please remember to dilute the liquid manure.

Alternatives to preparing liquid manure yourself

If you prefer to take it easy, then use the ready-made extract without much effort and waiting. You can simply add the nettle pellets to the irrigation water.

At a glance – fertilizing with nettle manure

Nutrients included: nitrogen, calcium, iron, magnesium
Ideal for: tomatoes, pumpkins, zucchini, peppers, cauliflower, cucumbers, potatoes, many other types of cabbage
Not suitable for: peas, beans, lamb’s lettuce, all herbs
Quantity: like normal watering; about 2-3 times in the season

Cooking water from potatoes and other vegetables

High-quality irrigation water – but please without salt

When cooking vegetables and potatoes, the valuable nutrients are dissolved and remain in the cooking water. If this is not used in the kitchen, it is usually thrown away. Any nutrients in the vegetable can be used as nutrients by still growing vegetable plants.

It is important not to use salt when cooking, as it is poisonous for the garden and your plants. If you have cooked without salt, you can use the cooled cooking water to pour.

At a glance – potato water

Nutrients contained: magnesium, iron, phosphorus
Ideal for: all vegetable plants, especially rose plants and heavy feeders
Not suitable for: herbs
Amount: 3 – 4 times a year

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Lifestyle

Sustainable For Nature and Health – The Glass Drinking Bottle

It is important to drink enough when exercising or exercising in the fresh air. The selection of drinking bottles ranges from plastic to aluminum to glass bottles. But which is the most environmentally friendly and healthiest alternative?

Disposable plastic beverage bottles are a major contributor to the flood of plastic waste around the world. Buying a reusable bottle that you can refill over and over again is a good step towards environmental protection.

There is now a huge selection of reusable drinking bottles made of a wide variety of materials. It is best to take a moment to find out about the advantages and disadvantages of the different variants and to find the most sensible, healthiest and most practical solution for you. Because a reusable bottle that only stands in the cupboard because, for example, after filling with orange juice, all subsequent drinks also taste like it, was not a good buy.

Plastic or aluminum drinking bottles

Many manufacturers rely on plastics for reusable bottles because they are light, comparatively solid and easy to clean. At the same time, plastics are cheap to manufacture. But it can contain plasticizers and other harmful substances that are released into the filled liquids over the course of use. In addition, they ultimately create plastic waste again.

In addition to plastic bottles, there are drinking bottles made of aluminum or stainless steel. They usually look high quality, but are controversial. Acidic drinks can attack the material and, if the coating is damaged, leach harmful substances out of the aluminum. In addition, unsightly dents can appear on the drinking bottles if they fall.

Hygienic and sustainable: glass drinking bottles

Glass drinking bottles, on the other hand, are particularly environmentally friendly and sustainable. Glass drinking bottles are non-toxic, 100% recyclable and tasteless. They can also be cleaned hygienically and used in a variety of ways. Since glass bottles do not absorb foreign tastes, you can fill in any drink after cleaning without the taste of the previous drink remaining.

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Cooking Tips

Harvest and Dry Sage Correctly – You Should Pay Attention to This

If you harvest and dry sage properly, it can be stored for a long time. So you can use it at any time of the year to refine and season dishes. Even harvested and dried sage is also suitable as a tea for a sore throat.

6 tips for the right sage harvest

The real sage is a popular herb for refining dishes. But sage can also provide relief as a variety of home remedies, for example for sore throats or gastrointestinal complaints.

It is important to harvest the sage correctly in order to have sufficient supplies for the cold season, when the sage no longer sprout.

You should pay attention to these tips for a productive harvest:
Harvest time is from May to August. Normally, the sage begins to bloom at the beginning of summer. In its heyday, however, its aroma content is very weak, which would make it uninteresting as a herb.
If you grind consistently and evenly, you’ll reduce woodiness and blooming. The young shoot tips in particular are rich in essential oils and aromatic ingredients.
Never cut into the woody part of the shoots, otherwise the shoot will not sprout again.
Do not wash the harvested sage, just wipe it off to avoid unnecessarily slowing down the drying process and losing valuable ingredients.
To avoid loss of aroma, you should dry or freeze the sage immediately after harvesting.
You should harvest the last time around the end of August so that the shoots can fully mature before the first frost and are therefore protected. To protect the hardy shrub from frost, you can put leaves, fir green or straw around the root area. Attention: Not all sage species are hardy.

drying sage

Dry or Freeze Sage – Which is Better? The answer: both are possible! The essential oils are preserved both dried and frozen.

Sage really dry
In the air:
Dry the sage at 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (21 to 27 degrees Celsius) in a well-ventilated area. That takes about ten days.
You can simply spread individual sheets on newspaper.
If you have harvested stalks, tie them together with string and hang them upside down.
In the oven:
It is also possible to dry the sage in the oven at 40 degrees Celsius within about six hours.
Turn the leaves regularly and leave the oven door ajar (say, with a wooden spoon between them). However, this method is not very energy-efficient and therefore not recommended.

Freeze sage properly

To freeze sage, you can put the sage leaves uncrushed in a screw-top jar or freezer container.

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health

Forest Bathing – Breathe a Sigh of Relief for the Big City Soul

During the lunch break we like to have a good time with my harvest. We cook something delicious together, sit outside when the weather is good. It is not uncommon for Wanda to take her dog to the nearby forest in the evening and especially at the weekend. There she can take her time, take a break and gather new energy.

The forest, with its tall trees, some of which are centuries old, emanates a power and calm that awaken a feeling of security in us. At the same time, this complex ecosystem, which consists of bushes, herbs, wildflowers and a variety of animals, makes us happy and awakens our spirits.

Forest bathing – feel-good import from Japan

The Japanese have dedicated an entire field of study to the regenerative effect of the forest and have been researching the health effects that a walk in the forest can bring with them for several decades. This trend is called Shinrin Yoku, which in Japanese means something like bathing in the atmosphere of the forest. Entire forests of forest trails have been created to provide relaxation, stimulation and focus.

Swimming without a lake? This is how forest bathing works!

You don’t have to venture into the cold lake or dive into the sea of ​​leaves for classic forest bathing. Rather, one is immersed in the cool and humid air, the tangy smell of fir trees, the sounds of birds and the soft and soothing green of the foliage. The forest can be perceived with every sense, you can surrender to it and get in intensive contact with it and the life in it.

Originally, Shinrin Yoku exercises were carried out in the forest, similar to Qigong. You can also encounter the forest through meditation exercises, cycling or a quiet walk. You can stroll carefully through the forest without much haste, take your time and look, feel and listen to what the forest has to show you. Astonishing effects can occur in your own body through this mindfulness and attention.

Tips to open up to the forest

There are no rules (but surely there’s no harm in turning off your phone…)
Perception and attention can be opened to all impressions of the forest
Walking meditations, i.e. an additional concentration on your own breath, can help to banish everyday worries for a moment and to fully engage with the experiences in the forest

Health effects of forest bathing

Some studies have examined the health effects of staying in the forest and have been able to prove that blood pressure and stress hormones in the human body are reduced and that muscles relax when bathing in the forest.

Health scientists in Tokyo have shown that a day in the forest can increase the number of human immune cells by 50%. Even if research results confirm our intuitive positive perception of the forest, the question remains: How does this stimulation arise?

50 shades of green

There are various explanations for this. From naturopathy comes the theory that the body subconsciously remembers that nature and the forest are our original habitat, offering us protection and nourishment. A psychological interpretation is that the scent of the forest evokes positive childhood memories and that this positive conditioning is also reflected in health. The coloring of the forest with its variety of green tones can also be responsible for calming the nerves and stimulating the immune system.

Whatever the reason why we feel so safe in the forest. The short vacation in the forest helps to reduce stress and to find relaxation.

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Fermenting – More Than Just Preserving

Fresh vegetables in the dark winter when supplies from the garden are dwindling and colds are on the rise? How do we save the harvest surpluses in this time? In addition to preserving, drying and freezing, we have (re)discovered fermentation and would like to invite you into the world of sparkling, spicy and crispy fresh vegetables from the jar.

The process of “living preservation” through fermentation is uncomplicated, resource-saving and the result is always a tasty, crispy, fresh surprise. The advantage for your health: The fermentation creates healthy lactic acid bacteria, which offer a cure for the intestinal flora and thus strengthen your immune system.

What is fermentation and what foods are fermented?

What sauerkraut is to the Germans, kimchi to the Koreans, soy sauce to the Japanese, kefir to the Russians and surströmming, which smells unpleasant to our noses, to the Swedes – all these products are fermented foods.

Fermentation refers to the microbial conversion of organic substances by probiotic bacteria and fungi. Acid, gases or alcohol are produced during this natural process.

Buy fermented products or make them yourself?

Many industrially fermented foods are pasteurized after the fermentation process, i.e. heated to high temperatures. This pasteurization enables a hygienically and tastefully standardized process.

What is practical and efficient for industrial processing, however, also destroys beneficial bacteria produced during fermentation, including cultures of lactic acid bacteria that can be beneficial for your intestinal flora.

When you make your own fermented vegetables (also called ferments), you can be sure that nutrients, enzymes and lactic acid bacteria will be preserved. You can vary your fermented vegetables with many different spices and herbs and thus have a new taste variation in the glass every time.

The own fermentation of vegetables brings you a spicy variety on your plate and is worth trying out!

The advantages of fermentation at a glance

It promotes a favorable intestinal flora through the proliferation of healthy intestinal bacteria. This improves digestion and absorption of nutrients.
During fermentation, vitamins are created that are only found in a few non-fermented foods. Among them the important vitamin K. This vitamin is essential for your bone and heart health. It also has a reputation for preventing some types of cancer.
A good three quarters of the immune system takes place in the intestines. They strengthen the immune system. If the intestinal flora is weak, the susceptibility to various diseases increases.

The wild fermentation

Fermenting vegetables at home is called wild fermentation. You can compare the fermentation with a cure for your vegetables. The vegetables enjoy a bubbling salt bath for a few days and emerge strengthened. In the wild fermentation of vegetables, you take advantage of naturally occurring bacteria. These are mainly found on the (organic) vegetables themselves or have previously come into contact with the vegetables through the air, soil, water or your hands.

The right accessories for fermentation

You only need a few accessories to ferment your vegetables. In addition to your favorite vegetables, the most important utensils and ingredients are:

Salt
Glasses or other suitable vessels
pounder
weights / smaller glasses
grater

The best vegetables to ferment

The best veggies to ferment are clearly your favorite veggies! Through the fermentation you will rediscover this taste in a completely new way. Organically grown vegetables are particularly suitable for fermentation, because the low level of treatment with pesticides and fungicides results in fewer pollutants but a greater variety of microorganisms.

Classic vegetables for fermenting are cabbage such as red or white cabbage, but also carrots, beetroot and radishes. Vegetables with a high water content such as tomatoes, cucumbers or lettuce can also be fermented, but they quickly become very soft as a result of the fermentation – it is important to explore your own taste there.

The fermentation process depends on the size of the pieces and the water content of the vegetables, as well as the salt content and the ambient temperature.

Salt when fermenting

The vegetables are either whole or chopped up in a jar and covered with salt. The vegetables are now swimming in a salty environment that is as airtight as possible. Many bacteria that are naturally found on the vegetables cannot survive in this and their growth is restricted. Others, such as the lactic acid bacteria, which are beneficial for us humans, begin to live and multiply in this salt water. The breakdown of macronutrients creates acids, which you can perceive as a sour taste and smell.

A salinity of 2% is ideal for wild fermentation. For example, 1 kilogram of cabbage requires around 20 grams of salt to ferment.

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